Make your favorite dough for cinnamon rolls (small batch)

3/4 cup pecans (we usually use walnuts because that is what we have)

1/2 cup butter, divided

1/3 cup maple-flavored or pancake syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pkg cream cheese, cut into 20 cubes

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Sprinkle nuts onto bottom of bundt pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in microwave. Stir in syrup; drizzle over nuts in pan

Melt remaining butter in microwave.  Mix sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.  Divide dough into 20 pieces; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness.  Roll cream cheese cubes in cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated; place 1 in center of dough.  Gather up sides of dough to enclose filling; press edges together to seal.  Roll into a ball; dip top in remaining butter then cinnamon sugar.  Arrange half the balls, cinnamon sugar sides up in prepared pan.  Repeat with other balls to form second layer.  Top with any remaining butter and cinnamon sugar.  Let rise till double.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 1 minute in pan; invert onto serving place and remove pan.

Sweet Roll Dough

• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)(or you can heat slightly in the microwave and not scald)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup shortening, or margarine or butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in milk, sugar, shortening, salt, eggs, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover; let rise till doubled.

Punch down and shape into balls for monkey bread.